My Summer at the WaPo

I had an incredible internship experience this summer in the news video department of The Washington Post. It was definitely a dream internship for me. After 10 and a half weeks working in the video cave, I really feel like an official cavemate. It was very sad for me to leave the Post behind, knowing that I will never see that Arlington office again (they're merging with the D.C. office), and not knowing about my future there...I guess I'll see in less than nine months. Gulp.

But for now, I will just reflect on my good times there! Because I'm working on focusing on the positive rather than wasting time on being sad.

Things I'll miss:
- My cavemates (above): Chet, Anna, Jon and Francine
- Editing video on everything from wind turbines to psychic auctions to wine tasting
- Frantic phone calls about breaking news and live video that needs to be streamed immediately...and the hectic situation thereafter. I love working under pressure.
- The seafood smell near Exit 4 on my way home
- Driving by the Nats stadium, especially on game days when the bleachers are full and I can smell delicious ballgame hotdogs
- Saluting the Capitol as I drive by every morning
- Having two hours every day during my commute to listen to music and think
- Being treated to delicious Cafe Asia
- The sweet people who come to clean the office every night and say hi to me
- The weekend parking garage man who waves to me as I leave
- Cosi boy at the cash register
- Robert, the man who makes the best Cosi signature salads ever
- Cosi signature salads
- Did I mention Cosi?
- Milky Way Choccocinos - my amazing daily hot chocolate fix created by the Flavia machine
- Free sodas and tea in the kitchen
- Reading "Wuthering Heights" on the Metro
- Attending/calling in to the 6 p.m. budget meetings

Things I won't miss:
- The smell of Blue Plains (D.C. Water and Sewer Authority)
- The lack of sunshine and having no clue about the weather until I physically step outside
- The constant stream of depressing news
- Being so far away from The Pendulum (I know, I'm pitiful).

How I've changed:
- I'm now a Twitter fiend...seriously, I'm addicted.
- I like sports. And I like working on sports video.
- I have definitely come to the realization that I was meant to be a features/style/human interest person. I thrive off happiness and need to share other people's stories.
- The biggest change: I have more confidence in myself and my abilities. Finally.

Beating Feet on D.C. Streets

I am (now) so street.

Last night, I watched "America's Best Dance Crew" on MTV. I never gave the show a second thought (I'm a "So You Think You Can Dance" fan) until this season gave me a reason to be a follower: the Beat Ya Feet Kings. One of my favorite Washington Post projects is a video on the go-go dance troupe who, at the time I first interviewed them, had no idea they would be one of nine crews featured this season.



The five D.C. feet beaters had my full attention last night while they were on TV. I was so excited to have met the group just two weeks earlier when they were performing in a public library and later at a restaurant/lounge downtown.

From D.C. to L.A., the streets to the stage, the Beat Ya Feet Kings have already made a name for themselves. They told me their goal was to show go-go to the world, and they have done just that. Their performance, the first of the evening, was by no means spotless. They were not in sync the way I know they can be. They were in the bottom three after their performance and had to "battle" their way to a spot on next week's show. I was holding my breath when Mario Lopez, the host, announced they would have to compete at the end of the show for a spot on next week's. But when he said it would be a "battle" to the Black-Eyed Peas' "Boom Boom Pow," I knew the Kings would be in their element and have no trouble at all. Thank goodness I was right. They redeemed themselves and won the battle...and I get to watch my new friends dance again next week.